ELIZABETH – More than 200 youth living within the child welfare system and wider community were told this week they are the future and must take a stance on important issues while learning to be leaders through education and extended family.

That was the message of the keynote speaker at the 2017 Annual Youth Conference hosted by Community Access Unlimited (CAU) in Elizabeth.

CAU is a statewide Elizabeth-based nonprofit providing support programs and services to adults with disabilities as well as youth served under the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to enable them to live independently in the community, providing supports in areas including housing, vocational skills and life-skills training, education, advocacy and recreation.

The annual conference brings together at-risk youth from throughout New Jersey, as well as dozens of human services professional from more than 20 programs supporting them.

"It's about bringing together youth from throughout the state and helping them learn about life skills while giving them chance to have fun in a learning environment," said Howard Wingard, supported housing coordinator at CAU.

"It's a great opportunity for all the different programs to come together."

This year's keynote speaker was Lana Whitehead, founder and owner of Sharpened Mindz Certified Coaching, a mentor and social worker and a former player for Miami Sol of the WNBA.

"You are the future," she told the youth. "You are the trailblazers and you have to take a stance. It's scary now with all this hatred and being people judged not for who they are. It's not the way you were raised. You have no time for intolerance."

Whitehead talked about how her passion for basketball initially drove her but how education became so important for her success.

"Education is paramount today," she said. "You need to find someone who can touch you and push you. They are your extended family. And you have to build yourself as a leader."

The youth also heard from Muta El-Amin, author of the children's book "Munsters Under the Bed" that teaches children to face and overcome their fears. El-Amin told them, "Anything is possible at any given time."

Barshay Stinson and Asia Lee are two youth members of CAU who attend the conference every year and served on the planning committee this year.

"I love being a member of CAU," said Stinson, who came to the agency in 2014 after living in a foster home. "The best thing is you make new friends. It feels good to be around people with the same background who are not afraid to talk about it. We're like family."

Lee, who came to CAU in 2013 after living in foster care, said of the conference, "It brings people together and we see what we're learning is not just talk. The energy confirms it's always getting better."

For more information about CAU, call 908-354-3040 or visit www.caunj.org.